UC San Diego Honored with New Client of Distinction Award

The nomination, submitted by our very own Gayle Ta, Senior Director of Student Financial Solutions, highlighted the transformative impact of the implementation on our campus and student experiences. The transition from a legacy homegrown application to the Transact system has not only modernized our financial systems but has also significantly enhanced the overall satisfaction of our global student base, which consists of over 40,000 students and their authorized payers. 

“This award,” Gayle shares, “is really about how UC San Diego used a strategic and innovative approach to implementation. Unlike many of Transact's clients, we didn't go live with all the modules at once. We followed a meticulous organizational change management philosophy with every go-live phase. By doing so, we ensured that each transition was smooth, student-centric and collaborative.” 

Leveraging Organizational Change Management Framework

UC San Diego's successful implementation can be attributed to both the advancements in technology provided by the Transact system and our meticulous organizational change management efforts. Recognizing the importance of ensuring readiness across the entire campus, we took a thoughtful and comprehensive approach that included a phased implementation strategy and a communications plan with over 100 activities. We engaged the campus community through various channels such as social media, campus announcements, videos, roadshows and an advisory committee. The organizational change management framework played a crucial role in guiding our community through the transition, minimizing disruptions and fostering a positive reception to the new system. By prioritizing effective communication and providing ample support, UC San Diego successfully navigated this significant change, setting a benchmark for the Enterprise System Renewal (ESR) Student Information System (SIS) Project initiatives.

Notable Achievements

Students praised Transact's user-friendly interface and streamlined navigation during the initial phases of the system implementation. The success of the pilot phase, involving over 300 summer session students, paved the way for the full system launch in Fall 2023. Notable achievements include the seamless transition of over 16,000 authorized payers, a 10% reduction in cash and paper check payments and a remarkable 45% increase in managed payment plan enrollment compared to the previous year.

To facilitate the transition, Student Financial Solutions created a series of training videos highlighting new features and options available with Transact's modern payment solutions, such as electronic 529 plans, campus cards, auto-pay and enhanced international payment options, including Transact IFT. These videos have been viewed over 19,000 times, further attesting to the success of our efforts in ensuring a smooth transition for our campus community.

Our commitment to innovation and user satisfaction is deeply rooted in our organizational values and guiding principles. This has been demonstrated through our proactive collaboration with Transact, where we sought to improve our systems and services. By actively seeking student feedback, suggesting product enhancements and eagerly exploring new releases, we remain dedicated to continuously improving the overall student experience. This dedication not only reflects our values but also aligns with the criteria for the New Client of Distinction Award, reaffirming our unwavering commitment to excellence in serving our campus community.

This award is a testament to the dedication and hard work of our entire UC San Diego community, with special recognition for the exceptional work carried out by the new TritonPay Project implementation team, Student Financial Solutions, their many partners across campus and IT Services. We extend our gratitude to Transact for their partnership and are honored to be recognized with the New Client of Distinction Award.